With a swift slitting of her eyes that said she knew what I wanted, she did that thing she liked to do again and said, “Of course, I would expect no less from a Blooded Scion than to keep her human confidants invulnerable.”
“We’ll perform the ritual right away,” as soon as I figured out how that was accomplished. “But Bennett Cotton and Victor Cole are, by demon law, under Royal protection from now on. Under the Mark of a Destroyer.”
A tingle played along my neck, as if my body were reacting to my first, real act as an accepted demon. As Scion. Though I was careful not to let my reaction show, it made me feel like I was part of this world. Maybe even belonged here.
Marking my family meant not even the Royal could touch them. Unconditional protection, the Demonology books said. They would be as safe as two humans could be.
“Your humans are already Marked by a Warrior,” Iliana said, her tone airy and uninterested.
My ears rang. If she said more, I didn’t hear it.
I had to swallow the knot of emotions in my throat, push hard against the room to keep myself from losing it. I couldn’t think about him. I couldn’t think about anything. Staring straight ahead, I knew I looked like the information meant nothing to me, because Iliana felt disappointed.
“But a Scion Destroyer’s Mark will hold the greatest authority,” she finally said, then added, “beneath mine, of course.”
Later. I’d be able to react to this later.
In a cool, even voice, I made my next request. “I live Up Above like your advisors.”
“I believe that is for the best,” Iliana grinned, acting like it had been what she truly wanted in the first place.
“If I’m going to be Blooded, I get to choose the demons.”
“You believe you can find a demon from each caste to join with you before the first year is through?”
My heart skipped, but I hid the fact that I wasn’t positive I could. I knew, as if it were engrained in my DNA, that being reasonable right now was imperative. “If I can’t choose them before the year is up, you can provide the rest.”
But I’d be damned if I would let Iliana chose the six demons I’d be mentally and physically connected to for the rest of my life.
I should have about two months to do this, I reassured myself. Grayson had said she took power about three hundred days ago. Surely I could find six demons in two months. After all, I already had a few in mind.
“You may not have my advisors,” she crooned, those liquid bronze eyes swimming with delight as they flicked into the crowd, probably to Grayson again. “But as long as you choose one full-caste from each of the six castes by the beginning of the ordination ceremony, then I care not who you are Blooded with.”
I nodded, ready to be done with this and get out of here. I needed the fresh air of Up Above. I needed my bookstore. I needed Rowan’s arms around me. I needed to hear Benn’s voice, Dad’s voice.
One more thing.
“Tanis Rivera’s obligation to you is paid in full from this moment on. She is free to go and live her life as she wishes.”
Iliana didn’t hide her surprise. Her mouth fell open, speechless. More than a few demons in the hall muttered about their Royal’s uncustomary reaction.
Astonishingly good to her word, Iliana composed herself and gave a sharp nod. One of the twelve hooded half-castes behind her dropped like a rock, with a thump reverberating through the white and gold room.
Instant understanding made my nostrils flare. Those twelve half-castes? She was keeping them in a daze, like Dmitri had done to our defense class. For how long? And why? It gave me chills, and my demon instinct roared.
The heap on the ground covered in a golden, hooded robe stirred, and I felt Grayson’s struggle to stay put even though he was in the back of the hall. Violet eyes gleamed from under the gold hood, but the female couldn’t lift her head.
I wanted to run to her. I wanted to grab one of those goblets from the tables around us and smash Iliana’s face in with it. But I stayed still, and waited.
As a dismissal, Iliana finally said, “I will see you back here for the ceremony in three of your human days, Daughter.”
Wait, what? Three days?
Shit.
She hadn’t tricked me exactly. I didn’t know the ordination ceremony began so soon. A human year, maybe, wasn’t the same as a ‘realm year. She probably knew I’d guess wrong. There was nothing I could do about it now.
I inclined my head as Iliana stood and glided out of the white and gold hall, followed by the eleven remaining half-castes covered in gold robes. The fact that they didn’t lift their heads in order to see where they were going, more than one stumbling over Tanis’s crumpled body made me feel ill.
The moment the Royal was out of sight, the demons around the periphery erupted, and Grayson broke rank with Cyrus at his back. I watched, shocked motionless, as they gathered Tanis from the ground, and forced myself to keep an indifferent face. Matteo was still watching. Octavia was still watching. One hundred demons I didn’t know and whose allegiance I could only guess were still watching.
He didn’t touch me, but when Rowan began to move, so did I. We turned and walked out the door, my Sentinel at my back, Grayson and Cyrus trailing behind with Tanis in their arms.
The moment the door to Iliana’s white and gold hall slammed shut, I couldn’t see, my eyes slowly adjusting to the sudden lack of light. Rowan’s arm was around me, supporting me, leading me, but this time, no longer keeping his respectful distance. I was glad for it, and I let him guide me through the castle, out the front door we’d come through, and deep into the ‘realm once again.
A crowd had gathered, but I ignored them. This time, it wasn’t a difficult thing to do at all.
CHAPTER 36
My three sentries led us through narrow streets and back alleys, attempting to evade the horde. I came out of shock slowly at first, and then, all at once.
You Marked my family for me.
Rowan nodded, his arm slinking away from my shoulders. He even took a step away as we followed Grayson carrying Tanis in his arms, trudging through some foul smelling alley.
Benn being weird around you. The full-castes hitting on him. That was why.
Rowan nodded again, and I stopped.
“They were safe,” I said, but my simultaneous telepath had a clearer meaning. You kept them safe.
“I should have told you,” he looked sheepish. For once, Rowan wasn’t reading me right.
My heart thudded, my need for his touch kicked up, adrenaline shooting down to my toes and fingertips. My breathing was rough, and I felt like I might explode if I didn’t have his skin on mine.
“Are you all right, Savannah?” Grayson asked, Cy’s brown eyes matching the Tempter’s concern. Giant, violet eyes didn’t blink as they assessed the severity of my face, but I didn’t have time for them.
Leave us, I telepathed, not taking my eyes from Rowan.
They had the good sense to scuttle down the alley without another glance, without another word, Tanis’s eyes peering back at me over her half-brother’s shoulder. They thought my Sentinel was in trouble.
As soon as they were out of sight, I let the opaque cage that had been keeping my feelings for him contained blow apart.
Come here.
He swallowed, looking stunned, but white gold stars appeared in his eyes.
“You are Scion,” he said, but didn’t take his eyes from mine. “It is illegal to…for someone like me to pursue you.”
“I don’t care.”
“You might feel differently in the future.”
“Yeah, I might.” But you know me better than that by now.
“There won’t be one being in the Underrealm to accept us…together.”
Don’t. Care.
Seconds passed, and my confidence wavered. He’d meant what he said. He didn’t think this would work between us. And I was out of line to make him confront it like this.
But then he smile
d that smile that changed everything.
He pulled me into his arms, and there were fangs on my throat, being dragged against my pulse, along sensitive tendons, and claws against my back. I hadn’t seen him throw off his glamour, but I knew it was gone. I knew it was Rowan in my arms, one hundred percent Rowan. He wouldn’t give me anything less anymore. No more masks. No more hiding.
Hands thrust deep into his golden hair, I kissed along his jaw, then down his neck, not knowing what I was doing but letting desire quiet my mind. My insecurities. My second guesses. My rational brain. In this moment, all that mattered was Rowan.
With one, big hand tangled in my hair, the high twist I put it up in before we left my apartment long gone. He clutched the nape of my neck, possessively pulling me against him. Rowan kissed me without control. His lips were soft and firm, slow and quick all at once. I fell into him, letting his arms, his body, his everything keep me on my feet.
The lethalness of his strength should have scared me. My demon half could have been deafening with distrust. Those fangs had torn flesh from Matteo. Those claws cut like knives. But my demon half had faith in him too.
Rowan had all of me.
Lifting me like I weighed nothing, my mouth was level with his, and instinct told me to wrap my legs around him, so I did. I touched him everywhere I could, found skin with mine and soaked up the exquisiteness of it.
He growled, and the deep places within me throbbed in response, and he growled louder, sensing my desire for him.
He rocked against me, my back somehow against a wall, though we’d been in the middle of the alley a second ago, and my body detonated with the sensation of his touch near places I’d never been touched before.
I cried out, and Rowan growled into my ear as he took it into his mouth, working my earlobe with his tongue.
Panic hit me. I wanted to push it away, keep it out. But I couldn’t. Was this going to hurt? Was I so inexperienced, I would only embarrass myself?
I wasn’t ready. I couldn’t do this. I didn’t want Rowan to stop, but I couldn’t keep going. Bells of alarm sounded in my mind, and I couldn’t turn them off.
Shattered white gold on a champagne backdrop looking so incredible quieted those alarm bells as he trailed a claw from my temple to my chin, clutching me tightly, looking at me like I was something to be cherished. In that moment, I knew Rowan’s eyes, his affectionate expression, was the only thing that could calm my fears.
Holding in my breath because I knew if I were to exhale, it would sound ragged and advertise my nervousness, I telepathed to him, Be careful with me.
“Always,” Rowan whispered, and it tingled. Then he kissed me.
Unable to resist, I arched my body into his, rubbed sensitive places against sensitive places, and moaned, letting my ecstasy spill out into the air.
Rowan stilled, then slowly, still kissing me, put me down.
Panicked that I’d hurt him with my projecting, I stuttered, “I’m sorry I…”
But he shook his head, closed his eyes, and took a deep, strained breath. I couldn’t read his expression. My own emotions were so intense I couldn’t pick up on his.
“Are you okay?”
When he opened his eyes again, most of the white gold was gone, but not all of it. His eyes on mine gave me goosebumps.
“We must stop now.”
“Did…did I do something?”
His slow grin quieted the scared little girl voice in my head. “We must stop now, or I won’t.”
“But,” I blinked, “I thought…”
“You thought I would just take you?” he smiled that smile that turned the good-looking demon into the most incredibly beautiful thing I’d ever seen. “Here? In an alley, in the ‘realm? With those three standing around the corner?”
I shrugged, but fell into his arms, not wanting to give up his touch for even a second. “How am I supposed to know what to think?”
“Know this, Savannah,” Rowan said, pulling me from his body, but keeping his arms around me. “I will never hurt you, never push you. And never demean you like that.”
I nodded severely.
“It’s time for you to know how it feels to be wanted in every sense of the word.”
He took my hand, pressed his lips to my knuckles, and laced his fingers with mine. I couldn’t decide which felt more intimate.
I adore you.
He couldn’t think the words back to me. Telepathy didn’t work that way. Not yet, anyway. Not until after the Blooding, because Rowan would be the Hammer I chose. And I was pretty sure a blood bond meant we would be a two-way radio from then on.
But I felt it in his movements, could sense his feelings, taste the affection-riddled desire within his mind. His never hidden, demon eyes shined with emotion I’d never witnessed before. And it was all for me.
Separating my skin from his and leaving that alley was almost painful. But it had to be done. I had responsibilities now.
On our way to join the others, a gaunt demon stalked towards us, narrow shoulders stiff. Within seconds, Cyrus jumped closer.
I could tell there was lean muscle under the black on black suit the male wore, but he was thin for a demon. Then I realized what caste he was, and it made sense.
“I am Arik,” the Reaper addressed only me, over Rowan’s protective shoulder, around Cyrus’s head and ignoring Grayson’s subtle retreat with Tanis still in his arms a few feet away.
The tattoos around his neck and up the sides of his face were the only ones visible. Unlike the female I’d seen earlier, whose clothes displayed her markings, this male Reaper was covered. He even wore black leather gloves. But his tattoos were much more intricate, the brands much thicker. He’d obviously been at his job far longer than the female, and was one of the upper-class Reapers Rowan told me about.
“Are you here under Iliana’s request?”
“Yes.”
I would have respected his blunt honesty if he weren’t giving me a bad vibe. It was similar to the waves of emotion I got from other demons, only thinner. Watered down. Mostly empty…but, not entirely. And tarnished with something sour that made my fists clench.
“Why?” I asked.
“She wants to be privy to your decisions, your life. Her Royalty cares greatly for her only offspring.”
Resisting the urge to flinch, instead I said, “Give me a way to reach you.”
He bowed half-assed and handed me a metal coin. Demons. Couldn’t give out a phone number?
“I’ll let you know my decision,” I said, not offering the Reaper my hand or even a customer service smile. He didn’t wait for one either.
Do Reapers have an old name? I asked everyone, unease crawling under my skin.
“No,” Rowan put his warm hand on my back. “Why do you ask?”
“Just thinking Boogieman might have been it.” I looked over my shoulder at him. That male gives me the creeps.
My three sentries and the half-caste Tempter female nodded.
“But I’m going to need a Reaper,” I admitted aloud.
Finding a Reaper and a Sorcerer in the next three days wasn’t going to be easy. They weren’t exactly benevolent types. They didn’t illicit friendship and trust in me. Didn’t help that they freaked me out either.
“We have friends, Savannah,” Cyrus said, and Tanis’s eyes bugged at the easy familiarity in the way he said my name. “We will help you.”
I smiled at him. “Remember the female who brought in that God awful drink earlier?”
Rowan and Cyrus nodded. Grayson said, “her name is Ivy.”
“She had no problem treating me like a regular person. And I didn’t get the creeped out feeling from her.” Though, now that I felt the waves coming off Arik, I understood the vaguely sour waves I felt from Ivy would grow stronger as she grew older. As she harvested more souls.
“Ivy is young. And a servant in your mother’s palace,” Cyrus said like that was the female Reaper’s fault.
“She’s still better
than Arik. I won’t accept a demon who was sent to me deliberately by my mother. This is a power game. I understand it.”
Grayson’s granite eyes flickered to pure blue diamonds. “You’re more Razer than you appear, Savannah.”
My eyes narrowed at the sudden change in his glamour, wondering if I could ever trust him to be truthful with me now that he got his sister back. But he was here. He could have left with Tanis, with Cyrus, the moment we left Iliana’s fortress. Grayson was choosing to stay with us.
Still suspicious of the Tempter, but feeling signs of it wavering, I said, “humans can be cunning too, you know.”
“Might a human-Razer half-caste be the most cunning of us all?” Grayson said, and I felt what he felt. It hadn’t all been a manipulation. There was burgeoning respect too. It was a start.
“I doubt my feeble attempt to thwart Iliana is going to go down in any history books. But that isn’t going to stop me.”
When I telepathed, I telepathed to all of them, projecting passion along with it.
I’m doing this for Dad. For Benn. For you, Tanis. For all those half-caste slaves of my mother’s. And for you guys. You’re all worth me giving this my best shot.
CHAPTER 37
The wait to get back through the Gate was much shorter than going the other direction. I was in a trance, letting Rowan’s arm guide me, paying little attention to anything but my thoughts. Decisions had to be made, conviction had to be steeled, and by the time we jumped back to The Bookstore, I had a plan.
Grayson immediately carried his still-weak half-sister upstairs to my apartment. He didn’t ask if she could use my bed. He knew he didn’t have to.
“I want Connell,” I told Rowan as the rest of us found a place around The Bookstore to get off our feet.
Rowan growled, though I knew there was a hint of playfulness in it, and warned, “you must be more careful with your words, girl.”
I smirked at him, then pulled out my cell phone and called Dad.
“I don’t have time to talk, Savvy,” was his clipped greeting, and Rowan growled again, hearing my father’s words, only this time, there was no playfulness in the menacing sound. It made me want to wrap my legs around him again.
Defying Instinct (Demon Instinct Series) Page 24